The National Ministry Team Welcomes New BFM Director
The search was on for a qualified and inspired candidate to take on the position of national director of the Blessing & Family Ministry (BFM) for the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) USA, following the departure of Crescentia DeGoede last October. After more than two months of looking, Yun-A Lisa Johnson, who had been living in Oslo, Norway with her husband and two young children and was looking to move to the U.S., stepped up to fill the position. “It is an incredible honor to be able to serve blessed families,” said Johnson. “This ministry has an incredible system established with a capacity to give to so many families both in the U.S. and around the world.”
From a young age, Johnson felt she was guided by a big vision. Since her mother was a diplomat, Johnson moved from country to country every two to three years and was thus exposed to a wide range of cultural and economic backgrounds, giving her a more global point of view. This led Johnson to the Special Task Force (STF), where she spent a year dedicating her life to serving others and working towards the vision of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, co-founders of FFWPU. “I realized God’s dream and my own personal dream are interconnected,” said Johnson. “That really solidified my concept of faith. God is longing for the same thing that all of us are—a family of true love.”
Motivated by her love for teaching the Divine Principle, Johnson spent much of her young adult life working with the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) and the Women’s Federation for World Peace and Unification (WFWP). Following her Blessing in 2009, Johnson noticed the lack of resources and activities for blessed families in Norway, where she resided with her husband, so she decided to direct her energy into working with the European Blessed Family Department (BFD).
Johnson began working closely with Orlande Schenk, the director of BFD in Europe—a commitment she upheld for two years. When she initially approached Schenk about moving her family to the U.S. late last year, Schenk asked Johnson if she was willing to leave her work with blessed families. “In that moment, I felt it was God asking me not just to move to the U.S. for our own family’s reasons, but for a higher purpose,” said Johnson. “Visualizing a world of happy, harmonious God-centered families is what continues to motivate me to empower blessed families anyway I can.”
Johnson messaged DeGoede, who now serves as pastor of Clifton Family Church in New Jersey, with questions about the BFM director position. “The more I’ve learned about Crescentia’s vision, the resources and the amazing BFM team in the U.S., the more moved I was,” shared Johnson. “Ultimately that was the deciding factor for me.”
So, in January 2020, Johnson assumed the position of BFM director for the U.S. National Ministry team. “Yun-A is well qualified to lead BFM in North America,” said Marjorie Buessing, former Interim BFM director. “But it is her vision to support happiness and health in our families so that they can create heaven around them and bring joy to our Heavenly Parent and True Parents, that helped make this decision.” True Parents is an affectionate term used by Unificationists when referring to Rev. and Dr. Moon.
As for the future of BFM, Johnson is looking forward to a number of upcoming projects, such as the Hyojeong Cosmic Blessing and structural changes, including a plan to join various initiatives together to empower blessed families. “My big vision for the BFM is inspired by the quote ‘We rise by lifting others,’” said Johnson. “The more we embody this culture of true love within our blessed families, the more it will substantially shift the culture in America and the world.”
Laura Taylor
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Thank you! Your arrival has great timing. Great vision, we rise as we help others. Certainly we rise together
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Roger Wetherall
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Thank you for taking on this ministry. I hope you will be able to come to Bridgeport soon as we would love to see you in our community. Looking forward to doing more together with you for the sake of Blessed couples everywhere
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Eeva Patanella
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I am very happy for you! You have now a very precious responsibility, and I know you are going to do fine. I have learned to know you in Italy, in Albavilla, during the annual European Blessing Family Department meeting last autumn. Heaven’s blessing to you and your family.
Eeva
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Betsy Orman
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My big vision for the Blessing and Family Ministry is inspired by the quote ‘We rise by lifting others,’” said Johnson. “The more we embody this culture of true love within our blessed families, the more it will substantially shift the culture in America and the world.”
Amen Yun-A, and welcome to America. God bless your every effort in this critical role and thank you for taking this on this important mission for heaven and earth.
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Gloria T Welcome
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Looking forward to working with you. Thank you for your great vision I really appreciate you for accepting the position of Blessing & Ministry Director. You are taking ownership. God bless you as He always does
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